Fostering Eudaimonia: Design to Support Virtues and Practical Wisdom

Abstract

We live in a time when unprecedented technological abundance stands in a perplexingly stark contrast to a precarious future, declining mental health and increasing disengagement from work. Past work has emphasized positive user experiences as a desirable design goal in designing interactive systems. Yet, researchers argue that to flourish, we need to cultivate phronesis, or practical wisdom which results from a successful integration of virtues, or character strengths. The design of technology embeds value judgments about what is worthwhile, and to the extent that interactive technologies can both positively and negatively shape our decisions, influence our motivations, and form our habits, the question arises: how can we design them to help us inculcate those patterns of thought and behavior which contribute to our ability to use technological affordances prudently and cultivate well-being supportive virtues? The aim of this one day in-person workshop is to bring together researchers to deepen our understanding of the overlap between design, flourishing and the role of virtues, and develop fruitful avenues for further research and collaboration.